Debra Toth

Charlotte, NC

Exhibiting Member Since 2002

The gourd is an organic simple object, a gift to us from nature. It is a connection to spirit through nature that calls me to explore the natural surface of the gourd. I am intrigued with this form because of its association with the earth, the fact that it is provided from the ground with out preconceptions, and because of its intrinsic like over time to many historical uses. In caring for ourselves as individual souls, we create a vessel, our bodies, which connect us with our own spirit. For me, the gourd with its solid, but imperfect surface represents a spirit vessel where I can explore images of personal growth, nurturing, pain, and healing. Each gourd, as each individual, is different and imperfect, interesting and challenging.